S2E12: the one where we don’t need no stinkin’ defence
Ugh. Of all the week’s for our defense to go on a walkabout. Manchester City – the team we love to hate. Not in a Tottnum sort of way but in a Chelsea sort of way. Though, admittedly, Manuel Pelegrini seems like a decent bloke and doesn’t evoke the disgust Jose does. Still, to lose to the money pit that is City only makes my thoughts of the game today even more bitter.
We spent the aftermath of the loss looking at all the reason why Arsenal lost this match, from Martin Atkinson’s woeful display of refereeing to the tired legs of Arsenal’s small squad. You could’ve had your pick. But very few accepted the fact that the loss was entirely of Arsenal’s making.
Sure the missed or non-calls by Atkinson were troublesome. Maybe they would’ve turned the tide. The problem was that every time Arsenal went to close the gap, City just marched down the field and scored again and in the end, the fatigue was clearly evident. But that too is also of the club’s making. Arsenal made the choice to carry a small squad to promote team cohesion, and while it has paid off in many facets its also likely to hurt the squad when the business end of the season comes upon them. City were able to come into the match with 8 fresh players. We’ll never be able to rotate like that with their riches but we should be able to have ample enough squad size to allow a similar rotation level. Sadly right now we don’t. And that’s a factor.
Still I temper my frustration at the loss at the fact that we’re still top of the table and we are taking on a Chelsea side that is not reminiscent of it’s former self. If United are having a horrid season under David Moyes, Chelsea’s season seems only slightly better. Jose’s magic touch seems to have esacped him and maybe his inability to anythin substantial at Real Madrid with a wealth of riches had less to do with Barcelona being his competitor than his own managerial abilities.
Still Jose Mourinho presents us with a conundrum. He clearly knows how to set his team up against Arsene’s. They’ve gotten the best of Arsenal over the years. However, the man who once chided Arsenal as voyeurs, has not only mellowed out but the fear factor of himself and his Chelsea side are clearly gone.
Arsenal can make a big statement next Monday that they are well and truly in it for the season. If they do as they have done all season and respond to the challenge that confronts them and beat Chelsea then the loss to City will fade in the background as an anomaly. If (shudder) we lose, then the din of discontent that came from losing to City will grow. We’ll be battered through the papers as paper lions. Regardless of the fact that most of those pundits who crucify us didn’t even expect us to be in the top 4 or 6 this season.
Arsenal are a team in transition. Maybe not at the level of City, United and even Chelsea. With it’s financial realities finally coming to roost, Arsenal can now build around it’s core with truly gifted talent like Mesut Özil. I have always projected that Arsenal were two years away from a title. Much like City when they first won the FA Cup it took the Sky Blues two years to find the right squad to win. We’re in that process and I think the bearing of fruits and silverware is only a matter of time.
We talk about alll about the loss to Manchester City and the upcoming Chelsea match with this week’s guest but we go and delve in on a couple of hot item topics that everyone has an interest in. Phil Wall (@AngryofN5) of the great blog AngryofIslington.com joins us to talk not only about this past weekend’s action but we really take a look at the reported 3% ticket price increase Arsenal are going to be moving forward with. We specifically try and fathom why a club that is flush with money both from it’s own revenue streams – including new commercial deals and the boon that is the Premier League TV rights – needs to raise ticket prices when they are already some of the highest in England and in Europe.
Additionally, Phil and I take on the topic near and dear to my heart, the inclusion of Josh Kroenke on the board. As anyone who follows my podcast or blog knows I am no fan of the Kroenke involvement within the club. Moreso because for all the posturing of family ties (now with Josh on the board) I just don’t get the feeling Stan and his family view Arsenal as anything more than a potential cash cow for them. Whether that means that they look to raid the club of profits at some point or sell it for a massive profit to someone, Stan and his family don’t offer us much in the way of improvement over the current board that sold to Stan.
And really as muich as we want the board to get younger and more in tune with the times, surely there are young FOOTBALL executives who the club could be bringing in. Like Stan what exactly outside of having the cash to buy into the club, is Josh’s experience in running a football club? No, we’;ve gotten younger but we’ve likely gotten dumber. Sure, Josh knows the business of sports marketing but he again doesn’t know football and doesn’t know England or Europe. The sad thing is that Josh’s appointment only further solidifies the feeling that we’ve all long had football and by extension isn’t entertainment – it’s big business.
Phil and I tackle this head on.
Just a word about next week. We WILL have an episode out the day after boxing day. We have a special guest already line up. Geoff of @GeoffArsenal to get us ready for the January transfer window.
Until then . . . Stay Goonerish!!!
